DA Investigating O’Farrell Campaign for Voter Fraud

John Choi (right) and Mitch O'Farrell during a debate at Karapetian Hall on Thursday. Val Zavalla (far left) moderates the debate

LOS ANGELES–The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that the District Attorney is investigating charges that the Mitch O’Farrell campaign for the LA CIty Council District 13 is engaging in systemic and widespread voter fraud.

O’Farrell’s opponent John Choi’s campaign has turned over to the District Attorney and the City Clerk the names of nearly 200 voters who say their ballots were either mishandled by O’Farrell campaign workers or outright voted on their behalf by these workers.

Excerpts from the Los Angeles Times report:

“Interviews with several voters listed in the Choi complaint suggest improper activity occurred, although it was unclear who was responsible.

Eighty-two-year-old Raffik Hambardzumyan told The Times that an Armenian-speaking woman came to his house and helped him and his wife fill out their vote-by-mail ballots about a week ago. Hambardzumyan, who doesn’t speak English, said the woman told them they were voting for Kbushyan.

He was surprised when a reporter told him Kbushyan wasn’t on the ballot. “Why, what happened that he can’t get elected?” he said. He said he didn’t know which campaign the worker represented.

Hambardzumyan and other voters said they have been getting multiple calls daily about the election. “Daily, 4-5 times they call, different people saying different things,” he said.

Galust Khachatryan, 65, said he was recently visited by the same young man and woman who stopped by his home on behalf of Kbushyan in the primary campaign. Khachatryan said they didn’t help him vote but did take his ballot.”

“This is the most blatent and widespread case of voter fraud I’ve seen in twenty years of political campaigns,” said Mike Shimpock, Choi’s campaign consultant. “They are literally stealing this election. This needs to be stopped.”

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